Door mounting



July 11, 1944. HERCE 2,353,263

DOOR MOUNTING Filed April 19, 1943 22 Q ZI /7557525255 INVENTOR.

Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR MOUNTING ErnestEl Pierce, Dallas, Tex.

Application April 19, 1943, Serial No. 483,586

9 Claims.

This invention relates to doors of the type designed to be opened byswinging them to a position overhead and it has particular reference toimproved mounting mechanism.

The principal object of the invention is to pr vide a door mounting ofsuch simplicity that it can be produced at an exceptionally low cost butmore important, it'requires no unusual skill for its installation, byvirtue of certain provisions not heretofore known, for accomplishingcertain minor adjustments after installation of the door and throughwhich the latter may be kept in good working condition irrespective ofdistortions of the door frame due to expansion and contraction or othercauses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple garage doormounting consisting in part of a pair of arms, each being comprised of alength of angle or channel iron, tubular material or the like, bent atright angles and secured for limited but temporary pivotal adjustment onthe door intermediate its top and bottom and offset laterally so thatthe rearwardly extending portion of the arm will lie against the sidewall of the building to be pivotally connected thereto, the said offsetobviating any obstruction to a vehicle or persons alighting therefrom inthe garage.

Another and highly important object of the invention is to provide abearing block serving as the pivotal support for the door mounting andwhich is mounted on a base capable of longitudinal adjustment on itssupport and which in turn supports the bearing block for lateraladjustment with respect to the major axis of the base, the said bearingblock being provided with an offset having a set screw affording athrust for the pintle affixed to the door mounting and through whichlateral adjustments can be effected to obtain accurate alignment of thedoor with its opening after installation. Moreover, the bearing block isprovided with a semicircular cam face on the end confronting the doormounting and having a high point in vertical alignment with the base ofthe bearing block. Ridin upon this cam face is a pair of adjustablescrews, mounted in an arm of the door mounting, the combination beingefiective to create a lateral thrust on the mounting without affectingthe pivotal radius thereof in relation to the door header.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particularreference to certain features of accomplishment, to become manifest asthe description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the interior of a garage lookingtoward the door and showing the mounting of the latter.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the garage in elevation with the doorin vertical section, and further showing the mounting.

Figure .3 is a detail perspective view of one of the mounting arms,partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the bearings, and

Figure 5'is a plan view thereof.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference isprimarily made to Figure 1 wherein l0 denotes the walls of a building,such as a garage, while numeral ll denotes the door thereof. As the solesupporting means for this door, a pair of right angle arms 12 isprovided and which may be constructed from angle iron, as shown, pipe orchannel iron, as desired. In any case, that portion a of each arm I2which is to be affixed to the door is provided in its extremity with atransverse slot l3 and a series of aligned bolt holes M.

In securing the arm to the door, the height of the latter is determinedand the arm is secured at a point intermediate the top and bottomthereof. First, a single bolt is passed through a selected one of theholes I4 and into the base Ma on the door between the studs l5, afterwhich a bolt is passed through the slot l3 and into the base Ma. Neitherbolt is tightened until the opposite ends of the arms are secured intheir respective bearings, the latter to be described presently. By thustemporarily mounting the arms on the door, a limited degree of movementis afforded the rearwardly extending portions of the arms 12 with whichit is possible to secure accurate alignment so highly necessary inmounting a door of this type, before actual securement is effected.

The rearwardly extending portions of the arms [2 must be strictlyparallel and after accurate measurements have been made from the doorrearwardly to determine the radius of the are on which the door must beconstrained to travel, the position of the pivotal points of the arms isascertained and the bearings installed.

The specially constructed bearing is illustrated in Figure 4 andconsists of a base [6, adapted to be mounted upon a support ll affixedto the studs [8 of the garage walls II]. It is necessary, of course,that these supports also be carefully aligned to insure properpositioning of the bear.

ings. The base is is provided with slots [9 near each end and parallelwith its major axis, to receive bolts which hold the base on itssupport.

Supported on the base l6, between spaced ribs 2| thereon, is thesub-base 22 of the bearing block 23. The sub-base 22 has slots 24 whichare in transverse relation to the slots l9 of the base 16 and receivebolts 25, which secure the bearing onto the base l6.

Cast integrally with the sub-base 22' and the bearing block 23 is a, lug26, disposed perpendicular to the sub-base 22 and provided with athreaded opening receiving a bolt 21.

Each of the arms l2 has a pintle 28 welded or otherwise secured theretoto extend outwardly to be received in the bearing block 23, as shown inFigures 4 and 5 particularly. This pintle is sufliciently long to extendthrough the bearing block where it is engaged by the bolt 21, for thepurpose to be presently explained.

A pair of springs 29 are provided as a means for counterbalancing thedoor ll, one being arranged on each side, having one end connected inone of a series of holes b in the arm 12 while the opposite end extendsupwardly and rearwardly and is anchored at c to a rafter or other pointof securement in the building.

As a means for reinforcing the door ii, especially a double door, angleirons 29a are affixed along the inner side edges above and below thepoint of attachment of the arms and are longitudinally adjustable toaccommodate doors of different height, made so by virtue of the series0'1 holes 0 therein, certain of which correspond to the holes in areinforcing plate 33 overlying the arms I2 where they cross the saidangle irons 29a.

In installing the mounting, it is simply necessary to first locate apoint on the door commensurate to proper balance and secure the arms bypassing a bolt through one of the holes l4 and through the transverseslot 13 near the end of each arm. The position of the bearing support I!is then determined, whereupon it is installed and the bearing plate Itmounted thereon. The bearings 23 are mounted upon the pintles 28 andplaced upon the plates 16 and secured by the bolts entering the slots24. However, before finall tightening either the bolts 25 or those 20fastening the plate 22, the door must be centered in the opening. Thisrequires but little manipulation and afterwards, these bolts are securedtightly and the bolts which fasten the arms to the door are likewisetightened. It will be noted that thelatter bolts are reinforced by theplates or strips which areshaped to overlie the arms t2 adjacent theouter edges of the door. These plates 30, as apparent in Figure l, areaffixed over the reinforcing angle irons 29a.

As'stated previously, it is highly important that adjustment provisionsbe made to compensate for various disalignments occurring frequently inthe walls, jambs, header and other parts of the conventional garage andwhich cause consequent disalignment of the door, however, accurately itmay have been original-lyinstalled. In addition to the provisions justdescribed for adjusting the bearing to effect changes in the radius ofthe mounting with re spect to the header, a means in the form of aflange ill on the bearing block 23 is provided to cooperate, withadjusting screws 32, mounted in the arms l2, whereby the arms may beconstrained to move laterally in either direction to prevent the doorfrom rubbing on the jambs, depending upon the location of theobstruction, and which may be accomplished without changing the radiuson either side, with respect to the door header.

The flange 3| is provided with a cam face d confronting an arm 12 andwhile it is shown as eing a part of the bearing block 23, it may, as amatter of fact, be separated therefrom or mounted instead on the arm,opposite to its position as shown to produce the same or equal results,as will become apparent presently.

Assuming that distortions occurring in the frame of the building causethe door II in its opening or closing movements to frictionally engagethe jamb on one side or the other. It is simply necessary to retract thescrews 21, which normally function to control lateral displacement ofthe mounting and project the screw 32 which overlies the pintle when thearms are in horizontal position, this adjustment being made on the sidewhere interference occurs between the door and jamb. At the same time,the companion screw 32 on the same side is correspondingly adjusted toinsure proper displacement of the mounting as the latter is raised tovertical position. In effect the flange 3|, with its face (1, combinedwith the screws 32, serve in the capacity of a variable cam.

There are two sets of the adjusting screws 32 in each of the mountingarms l2, the pairs of screws being in opposite but correspondingpositions in relation to the bearings 23 so that when the arms i2 are inhorizontal position, one screw of each pair will overlie the high pointof the cam surface on the flange 3| of the opposed bearings and when thearms l2 are in vertical position, the companion screws of the opposedpairs will assume a position overlying the high point of the cam. Inother Words, the screws 32 are radially disposed in relation to theirrespective pintles 28 and as the arms 12 are moved the screws changepositions with respect to the high point of the cam.

In order to prevent undue strain on the mounting, the screws 32 on theopposite arm [2 are manipulated so that this arm will yield to thedisplacement of the companion arm, one riding off the high point of thecam face d as the corresponding screw on the opposite arm rides upon thehigh point thereof. Thus, it will be seen that there will be effected apositive and controlled lateral movement of the door as it approachesthe closed as well as the opened position, the degree of such movementbeing also controlled by predete'rmining the distance to which thescrews 32 are projected or retracted. It is understood that when thescrews 32 are in operative positions for the purposes explained, thepintle screws 27 are not in use but should the defects in alignment becorrected, the screws 2! may resume their function to maintain centeredposition of the door.

The method of installing the mounting just described may be altered tosuit various conditions'but it is important to observe that the peculiarconstruction of the door supporting arms is such that limiteddisplacement of the arms relative to their points of final securementmay b effected to provide for slight differences in elevation of thedoor at the sides; further, the bearings are constructed so that theymay be moved'forwardly or rearwardly to insure true relative parallelismbetween the door and adjacent front wall of the building. Moreover, theadjusting bolts 21 may be advanced or retracted to correspondingly actupon the pintles 28 thereby to accurately centralize the door. All ofthese steps lie within the abilities of an unskilled person to performeven to the actual installing of the mounting elements.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of somemodification and such modification as may be construed to fall withinthe scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to bewithin the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a counterbalanced door, a mounting device including a right angledarm, one leg of which is secured to and in offset relation to the sideof a door and intermediate its top and bottom, the other leg thereofextending rearwardly, a, pintle carried by the latter leg of said arm, abearing supported for longitudinal and lateral adjustment relative tothe rearwardly extending leg of said arm and receiving its pintle, meanssupported on said bearing for axially adjusting said pintle in saidbearing, a cam on said bearing and adjustable means carried by said armand cooperating with said cam to likewise axially displace said pintle.

2. In a mounting for a counterbalanced door, a suspension membercomprising a right angled arm, one leg of which is provided with atransverse slot adjacent its end and a series of aligned holes, theother leg of said arm having a laterally extending pintle thereon, abearing rotatably receiving said pintle, a longitudinally adjustablebase on which said bearing is laterally adjustable, means supported bysaid bearing and adjustably bearing on said pintle for changing itsoperative position relative to said bearing, a cam faced flange on saidbearing and means adjusta'bly mounted in the arm adjacent said bearingand adapted to engage said cam face at predetermined positions of saidarm to axially displace said pintle.

3. In a mounting for garage doors and the like, a pivoted arm connectedto said door and adapted to support the latter for arcuate displacementto an overhead position, a bearing for pivotally supporting said arm,said bearing comprising a, base plate adapted for longitudinaladjustment on its base to effect changes in the pivotal axis of saidarm, a journal block mounted on said base plate for lateral adjustmentto effect changes in the lateral displacement of said arm, cam facedmeans supported by said bearing block and means carried by the pivotedportion of said arm and cooperating with said cam face to control theaxial displacement of the pivot of said arm.

4. In a mounting for a counterbalanced door, an arm bent at rightangles, having one leg secured to said door and the other leg extendingrearwardly of said door and carrying a lateral pintle, a bearingrevolvably retaining said pintle, comprising a longitudinalllyadjustable base plate and a bearing block supported on said base platefor lateral adjustment, a cam supported by said bearing block,adjustable screws carried by said arm and cooperating with said cam toeifect adjustment in the axial position of said pintle and means forexerting an upward force on said arm at a point intermediate said doorand said pintle.

5. A door mounting as set forth in claim 4 in which the leg of the armsecured to the door is provided with a transverse slot and a pluralityof aligned circular apertures, one of the latter and said slot havingbolts therein, retaining said arm on said door to provide for limitedpivotal displacement of said arm preparatory to adjustment and ultimatefixation thereof on said door.

6. In a garage door mounting, an arm bent at right angles and affixed toa door to support said door for arcuate movement to a position overhead,a bearing pivotally supporting said arm, and comprising a base and abearing block adjustably mounted thereon, a cam carried by said bearingconfronting the pivotal leg of said arm and a screw adjustably mountedin said arm in radial relation to the pivot thereof and adapted to rideon said cam as said arm is actuated to displace the same laterally tocompensate for disalignment of said door and its opening.

'7. In a mounting for a garage door, an arm having a portion adjustablysecured to said door, with another portion extending rearwardly andpivoted to the side Wall of a garage, a bearing pivotally supportingsaid arm through said rearwardly extending portion, and means carriedjointly by said bearing and said arm for constraining said arm to movelaterally as the latter approaches both vertical and horizontal planesto similarly mov said door whereby to compensate for irregularities ofalignment of said door with respect to its opening.

8. In a mounting for a garage door, an arm having a portion adjustablysecured to said door, with another portion extending rearwardly andpivoted to the side wall of a garage, a bearing pivotally supportingsaid arm, a cam formed on the face of said bearing, and adjustable meanscarried by said arm and bearing on said cam as the arm is raised toeffect lateral displacement of the pivotal point thereof to compensatefor irregularities of alignment between said door and its opening.

9. In a door mounting, an arm mounted on said door and extendingrearwardly, a bearing for said arm pivotally supporting the same forarcuate movement and adjustable both laterally and longitudinally andmeans carried jointly by said bearing and arm for exerting a lateralthrust on the latter as it approaches both vertical and horizontalplanes.

ERNEST E. PIERCE.

